Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 7th, 2020–Nov 8th, 2020

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Strong NE wind has created slabs on SW aspects in the alpine.

Weather Forecast

Expect clearing on Sunday. Temperatures will stay around -15 at the ridge and close to -5 in the valley. Wind will persist from the N/NE in the strong range until early Monday.

Snowpack Summary

10-20cm of snow on top of a 3cm supportive crust with moist snow to ground below. The crust dissipates at ~2400m. At tree line the snowpack ranges from 30-60cm deep. Expect 30 to 40cm of recent snow above 2500m with NE wind creating a reverse loading pattern late Saturday into Sunday.

Avalanche Summary

Both Lake Louise and Sunshine Village ski patrol report small thin wind slabs from ski cuts and explosives on Saturday. Nothing larger than a size 1 was observed.

Confidence

Wind effect is extremely variable on Saturday

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.